KOHIMA, NOV 7 (NPN): Naga Solidarity Park Management Committee (NSPMC) has formally allocated a designated site within Naga Solidarity Park, Kohima, for the burial of Naga ancestral remains being repatriated from the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
In a press statement, NSPMC convenor Vipopal Kintso said a short prayer service was held at the Park on the morning of November 7, marking the formal launch of preparatory work for the proposed burial site.
Site clearance and ground preparation were also formally initiated.
The committee said the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), along with Naga tribal hohos, had approached it on October 19 and 30, seeking allocation of a suitable site within the Park. Following deliberations and consultations with concerned stakeholders, the committee formally allocated the site.
NSPMC said the decision was guided by the collective aspiration to make the homecoming of Naga ancestors more than an act of repatriation, expressing hope that it would become a meaningful moment of healing, reconciliation and renewed belonging among the Naga people.
It said the burial at the symbolic site was envisioned as a step towards strengthening Naga unity, reaffirming collective identity and fostering a deeper sense of oneness beyond tribal and artificial boundaries.
The prayer service was attended by representatives of the Angami Public Organization, Kohima Village Council, Angami Students’ Union, Kohima Village Students’ Union, Northern Angami Students’ Union, Zynorique Initiatives, Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights, Naga Students’ Federation and the FNR Local Arrangement Committee.
The committee acknowledged the cooperation of all stakeholders and reiterated that Naga Solidarity Park belonged, in spirit and purpose, to the Naga people.
It said the homecoming of the ancestors should transcend historical divisions and serve as a bridge towards healing, reconciliation and togetherness.
